atomicscissors

hp laptop batteries.

They infuriate me.

I met this really cool girl, so in front of rolling news cameras and other onloookers I figured I should propose to her. When that didn't work I did what any man would do and started to beg:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/mykranili/sd%20car%20show/rename-1.jpg

lol

Awesome. Did you see yourself on TV?

That really depends on your definition of a "retcon", the more narrow definition is that a "retcon" is when you go back and change an established fact, directly contradicting the existing material. There are plenty of ways to show humans encountering xenomorphs and space jockeys decades before Ripley and the crew of the Nostromos without contradicting anything in the first two Alien movies (and quite honestly I'm perfectly fine with them contradicting whatever they feel like with the Alien movies past those).

Right. I'm using "retcon" in that way (narrow). Wikipedia's definition of this "hateful" word works as well.

My whole guff about this, as I stated earlier, is it's my understanding that the Nostromo's crew (Lambert, Ash, Kane, Parker, Brett, Dallas, and Ripley) were the first humans (Ash isn't technically a human, but whatever) to encounter the Xenomorph and the Space Jockey.

But now, 32 years later, we're being told she's not The First? That title seems to be destined for Noomi Rapace? You know. That chick from "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"? Yeah, that girl.

Am I wrong to assume this, that the Nostromo was the first? Is there anything in the various movies that contradict this notion?

This just bugs me (no pun intended) because, yeah Ripley was the first to tangle with a Xenomorph and blow it out of an airlock, and yeah she also blew a QUEEN out of another airlock, but Noomi is probably going to have a protracted battle with a QUEEN and a KING and there's probably going to be some bullet-time thrown in for good measure too, and the kids will OOH and AAH and they'll talk about how cool the 3D effects were.

Sigh. Please excuse an aging fanboy's rage.

I kinda doubt the movie will be lacking any human characters, tho....I would suspect we're going to see humans encountering xenomorphs and space jockeys and probably lead right in to the original movie.

So, this movie is a retcon then?

It's my understanding that the Nostromo's encounter with the Xenomorph and the Space Jockey was humanity's first encounter ever with the two species.

If it does end up being a retcon, I've got only one thing to say: "boo."

I've been dying of anticipation waiting for a torrent of issue #80, but I just read that it's being delayed until next month.

However, issue #81 is still slated to be released in January, so we'll get a double dose of zombies to start off the new year.

Wow dude, just... wow...

You disagree? Well, I've been a victim of said overt racism more than once in my travels to the South. I'm not saying everyone in the South is a racist, but I've experienced it first hand.

I know it is against the rules to get into political debates here, so I'll leave it at that.

I don't see why a televised or movie adaptation has to stay religiously close to its written origins. In my opinion the Walking Dead series seems to be a great program even though it's apparently betrayed its comic book roots. As long as the adaptation isn't downright blasphemy and executed poorly such as in the case of some of the Harry Potter movies, I'm ok with it.

If you'll note, I wrote:

I'm not looking for a carbon copy of my favorite books/stories, but if you're going to change something, do it in a way that's not insulting to my intelligence.

I would like to clarify that even further: If you are going to change something, do it in the spirit of the original source material.

I assume you believe this as well, with your talk about "blasphemy" and the Harry Potter movies. The season finale, with the CDC, and the computers, and virtual intelligence, and CSI X-Ray computer graphics, and thermobaric explosion, went against the spirit of the Walking Dead comics. It was blasphemy, it was cheesy, and it was lazy writing. It's almost as if that episode was thought up by an AMC executive who had never read the comic at a boardroom meeting.

In regards to the hillbilly brothers, I don't see why anyone would have a problem with them. You're in a southern state and the majority of the population down there is of the redneck variety and so I would find it odd if the series didn't have such characters. Also, I think the question of "what happened to Merle?" and what will eventually happen with his brother, who is now bonding with the group and may have to choose between the two, is a major point of interest for just about every viewer.

You're right, within the confines of the location the story is set in, there should be no problem with stereotypical, racist, redneck hillbillies. But, I find them to be another piece of evidence of lazy writing. I know the South is filled with overt racism, but you can add more to the drama and tension if you keep the characters morally ambiguous.

But instead we get "WOOO!! Look at me! I'm big, bad, Merle! I'm a racist douchebag and I hate black people, and I'll show you that I do within two minutes of my introduction!"

I'll agree that "Vatos" was probably one of the lamest (in the wierdest way) episodes of any program I've ever seen, but overall I think the characters and the story are strong enough without the support of the established canon. In the end it's all about our opinions...

You're right: it's all just our own opinions. I know I'm not going to change any minds here, but I just wanted to spell out some of the reasons why, when someone on here says they think the show is great, I pop a blood vessel.

I really really really want this series to do well. I hope they sort things out.

This ^

I've found more enjoyment from shows like The Walking Dead and in movies like Kick-Ass from watching the TV show or movie first and then going back and reading the comics.

Some of this has to do with no longer being an avid comic reader so I miss a lot of the better, non-Marvel or DC properties that get released. This probably allows for the ability to enjoy each for what they are and for having no expectations (heightened or otherwise) or preconceived notions about how the story, etc. should play out.

Bottom line this show has been really good and if one can let go of the fact that there was another telling of the same story and appreciate this for what it is then I think the show would stand up really well on it's on merits.

-b.

I love "Kick-Ass the Comic Book" and "Kick-Ass the Movie," even though the movie changed some key scenes and moments, because they made the changes with good writing and directing.

But as the first season of The Walking Dead TV series progressed, the stories and writing became weak, and the new characters didn't help any (see stereotypical, hackneyed redneck brothers). Episode 4, "Vatos", is the definition of corny. I don't think that episode needed to be made. What was the point?

And I've already gone over why I hated the season finale.

I'm not looking for a carbon copy of my favorite books/stories, but if you're going to change something, do it in a way that's not insulting to my intelligence.

I'm giving it one more season. If the acting and script stays as melodramatic as the season finale (as opposed to dramatic, like the comic), I quit.

I suppose I'm a little more excited about this than most here, because of my utter disappointment in the season finale of "The Walking Dead."

With "Falling Skies" at least there isn't source material for the writers to fart up (at least no source material that I'm aware of).

This looks more like a bad made-for-TV movie from the late 90's than an "EPIC TELEVISION SERIES."

I like how they mentioned "EPIC TELEVISION SERIES" twice, just to make sure we didn't miss it the first time.

It does look like another generic "aliens vs. humans" action series, but I'm a sucker for spaceships, lasers, guns, and explosions.

Here's the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39eegoYnH9s&hd=1

Looks generic but fun.

I'm planning to start watching LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC HEROES, the complete saga, one episode per day (Starting January 1st) and wanted to invite anyone to join along in the discussion and understanding of this great anime series.

All the episodes have been subtitled by Central Anime and uploaded to YouTube.

There are a total of 110 episodes in the main series, 3 OVA movies and 52 episodes in the "Gaiden" prequel/side stories.

If anyone has not watched it, it is one of the greatest series in the history of not just anime, but science fiction and drama.

To say it is EPIC is an understatement. If you have seen it, you know what I am talking about, if you haven't seen it, then you are missing out.

I will post the links up for the day's episode every day. I'd like to introduce this series to anyone who has not seen it.

Any LOGH fans out there?

Downloading the series now.

I've been meaning to watch LOGH and this sounds like the perfect time.

I'll just leave this here.

I'm with reddsun1: I don't want to know the origins of the Xenomorphs or the Space Jockey. "Alien" was more horror movie than sci-fi flick to me. Not knowing anything about the Xenomorphs or the Space Jockey made the movie even more creepier. This prequel should just die.

Anywho, I'll just leave my favorite quote from the Dark Horse books here:

There's this colony - outbound in the arm - on some terraformed rock-ball orbiting Zeta Reticuli. Apparently, some crazy woman appeared at Gateway six months back, said she landed on the place back in the '20's and some bugs - big alien sonofabitches - overran her ship and ate her crew. She said she escaped by blowing the bugs out the airlock and then froze herself until a rescue ship came along - nearly sixty years later! Anyway, th' ICC asks Space Command to send in some squads of Colonial Marines, armed to the teeth and ready for bear, to recon the planet.

They never came back.

True story.

- L/Cpl Jim Kasulka, USCM

How far into the comic have they gotten? 6 issues? 10 issues, 20?

79 issues.

edit: I misread your post. I assume now what you mean is, "How far has the TV series gone into the comic's storyline." That's really a tricky question, because the TV series still hasn't shown the conclusion to the first comic story arc (something that I was waiting/hoping for the entire season).

Personally, I prefer the tv series, found the characters a little bit more likeable.

Chris

This is interesting. What specifically did you find less likable about the characters in the comic?

Why are you all listing your consoles in the PS3 thread?

Exactly. Shouldn't there be some moderation going on here?

As long as you list a PS3, your list is relevant to the thread.

I'm thinking this is one of the best show/movie that's been based on a comic book.

lol

If you read the comic you wouldn't be saying that.

You really should pick it up. There's a reason it won an Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series.

The comics are a long way from "rampant sex". They just show realistic but not very explicit human interaction given the circumstances.

Yeah, not rampant or explicit at all. The "sex" is usually shown in one of two ways: the characters about to get it on, or cuddling post-coitus.

Still very disappointed with Season 1 as a whole. If Season 2 strays any further from the comics, then I'll probably stop watching.

What I've accumulated throughout the years in chronological order:

Atari 800 (given to me by my father circa 1984 to teach me how to type on a keyboard; first game I ever owned/played was Pole Position)

Nintendo NES (Christmas 1985 present from my parents; I was the happiest 6 year old kid in the world that day)

Sega Genesis (10th birthday present)

Nintendo Gameboy (begged my mom for this one, circa early 1990)

Sega Saturn (saved up for this one, circa late 1995)

Sony Playstation (purchased this and had it modded in early January 1998 for the sole purpose of importing and playing Gran Turismo).

Nintendo 64 (bought this to play Ocarina of Time, circa late 1998)

Gameboy Color (bought this to retire my original Gameboy, early 1999)

Sega Dreamcast (20th birthday present to myself)

Neo Geo Pocket Color (I don't remember what compelled me to buy this one, circa early 2000)

Gameboy Advance (bought this the first day it was released, summer 2001)

Sony Playstation 2 (purchased this in late 2004 to play GTA: San Andreas)

Nintendo Gamecube (purchased this in early 2005 to play Resident Evil 4)

Microsoft Xbox 360 (purchased in the summer of 2007)

Sony Playstation 3 Slim (purchased late 2009 for it's Blu Ray capabilities)

I don't really want or need anything.

Ditto. I'm quite content.

But, since ultimate asked:

Well unfortunately for you you your philosophy is also minimising the audio quality you hear and therefore the enjoyment you can get out of music .

Thanks for the concern, but I enjoy music just fine, whether it be encoded in FLAC or VBR mp3.

If I want to really "experience" music, I'll go the Hollywood Bowl.

why compromise at all? how much music can you listen to in one outing and why do you need instant access to so much music at all times? Step back, take a big breath and think about what music do you really love and buy it on Amazon for $10. imports or rare discs might be too expensive, download them for now and save up for the real mccoy. unless you can find .wav downloads of them, but then it gets messy because .wav cannot have meta data and you will have to get track info from wikipedia or whatever and store it somewhere else, ..it goes on and on, or you could have a perfect tomb of your favorite artist sitting there on your shelf ready to be manipulated any way you like. Remember there is no DRM on a CD.

A compromise must be made when your collection is pushing upwards of 1.5 terabytes and your portable player can only hold 8 gigs.

How much music can I listen to in one sitting? I can listen anywhere from one hour to almost the entire day. As a matter of fact, I've been listening to music for about 7.5 hours straight as of this moment.

Why do I need instant access to so much music at all times? That's easy: my taste in music changes when my mood changes. And sometimes, I decide, on a whim, that I'm tired of listening to N.W.A. and want to listen to some Linda Ronstadt.

I've gone completely away from physical media; keep the clutter down, is what I say. In life, I'm somewhat of a minimalist. It's all just a matter of personal preference. After all, we all "travel to the beat of a different drum."

128 kb/s needs to just die....Variable bitrate, average 192 kb/s should be the new minimum standard.

Agreed. When I want to load music on a portable player (either my T-Mobile G2 or Sansa Clip+) I convert my lossless tracks to mp3 using LAME v2. Best compromise between fidelity and file size, IMHO.